a few things I love right now and how I spend some of the hot summer days

I posted about a creamy lime pie the other day, and I promised to share a recipe, so here you go.  I don't know Perri, but I go to church with him and his wife, and this is his recipe.  I don't want to take any undo credit.  It's so easy!  I use a ready made graham cracker crust, but you can also make your own with graham cracker crumbs and butter. 

Perri's Lemon Pie

For the filling:

2 cans of condensed milk (don't skimp here, folks, go ahead and go full fat)
3/4 cup of lemon or lime juice (my addition here is that I added the zest of all that I used)
1/2 cup of sour cream

And that's all!  Blend it all together well, fill the pie crust and bake at 350 for ten minutes.  I love mine all chilled, but Drew prefers it warm.  It is AMAZING.

I have made both types now, my first being the lemon.  It was wonderful.  But the lime?  Out of this world.  Drew and I both prefer the lime to lemon. 

You could also make this filling as pudding and fill little cups and then top it with cool whip and graham cracker crumbs.  Just don't bake it~refrigerate it instead to set. 

Moving on now.

I am loving the laid back routine of summer so far.  Eventually I will tire of this, and all the extra people that are always present, but for now, my heart is happy.  I told my friend at dinner last night that these are the days when I pray extra hard over the food I make, and that the Lord would multiply it for us.  What I made last night was one occasion of doing that, as I made it, it didn't seem like it would be enough, but it was. 

I have said this before, but I love the smell of sunscreen in the summer.  And give me all the coconut scented things.  Lotion, hair products, soap.  You name it, I love it all.  My favorite lotion right now is from Home Goods.  It's a big bottle with coconut oil infused lotion inside and the scent it coconut lime. 

I mentioned reading on Monday, and I have plans on going to the library today.  My last trip there was unsuccessful and I hated all the books I brought back home, so I'm trying again today, with a narrowed down list.  Also on my list of things to do today is making a couple of grocery store runs, to Aldi and to Costco.  We need new snack options around here, and I'm looking for ones that are fewer in calories.  My mom in love always has good luck at Aldi, so I will give it another try.  (I don't love our Aldi that is near me.)  And our dogs are almost out of food, and Drew needs water and Gatorade for his mission trip that he leaves for on Friday, so we have to go there too.

Does anyone else dread cooking in the summer?  Just me?  Okay.  I am always scrambling to find something quick, easy, and light in the summer months because of the heat.  This week isn't quite as bad, I think, but every other week is.  The problem with finding different things to cook is the fact that not all my kids will be happy with what is being offered.  I like to offer things for dinner that everyone likes.  If you have some ideas that you would like to share, please feel free.  I can always use meal inspiration. 

I love swimming.  Honestly, I could (and used to) do this every single day and never tire of it, but nowadays, I like to go with my mom in love once a week at least.  The boys used to go with me, but this is the second summer when it's just her and me.  I did this yesterday and loved every sun filled hour that we spent together. 

They have a beautiful neighborhood pool, and at this point, it was just us and one other lady who was laying out and reading a book.  Later on, right before we were about done, a group of teenage boys showed up and made us laugh and cringe.  (They were flipping into the pool and scaring Phyllis.)  Bonus: I walked away with a little sun and no sunburn.  We sat in the pool and solved all the world's problems for at least an hour and a half.  The boys swim at a couple's house that we go to church with.  They're always so sweet and thoughtful to let them use their pool whenever they want.  (Thank you, Benji and Catelyn!)

I like to clean out things during this time off in the summer months, and I have a few areas I need to do this to today.  Two of which are in my kitchen: the pantry and the refrigerator.  The pantry, especially, is next to impossible to keep organized.  I found this new person on Instagram to follow that has given me a few ideas for this.  Her account on Instagram is House Peace.  Her stories are more informative than the pictures she posts. 

I've already accomplished this task for our school shelves here in the living room.  I have piles started for when August comes, and I have a list of what I need to purchase for Jonah's and Noah's sophomore year.  I can't believe I'm saying that...their sophomore year. 

Y'all.  Who knew Crocs were considered "in" again and that white Crocs were a thing?

This was Drew yesterday, when his came in the mail.  I'm dying inside.  I think they're so ugly, but he LOVES them.

If you want to read some funny things about them, go check out this picture I posted on Facebook yesterday.  The comments crack me up.

Well, I need to run.  I have a lot to do this morning, another of which is all the laundry.  Thanks for reading!  Love to all.